easyJet pilot injured after falling from a/c
I gather that Health and Safety regs in the UK were changed several years ago banning opening and closing doors without ground support equipment in place.
As to medical cover, only the largest airports have thier own paramedics etc. on duty. LHR does and I suspect LGW will but that's probably it in the UK apart from first aiders.
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STN has recently trialed on-airport paramedics, not sure what the outcome was but the aim was primarily to save money on call-outs of ambulance crews from the nearest A & E at Harlow. By the way, it's always worth asking the medics if a local helicopter air ambulance is available when traffic congestion is a factor and a life is in danger.
Best wishes to KR for a speedy and full recovery.
Best wishes to KR for a speedy and full recovery.
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I work at EDI, but for different airline. Just wanted to wish the best for a speedy and complete recovery to said captain and sympathy to his family. Made me think how easily a simple action can have a terrible consequence.
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Just to try and get a clearer picture in my own head, does anyone know if he was closing the door from the inside and somehow tumbled out, or if he was closing it from the outside and fell from the airstairs?
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l would like to extend my best wishes to Captain Ken Rutherford and hope he has a speedy recovery, here is what today's Daily Record had to say about it :
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/pa...l&siteid=89488
Regards
Del Boy
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/pa...l&siteid=89488
Regards
Del Boy
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On a similar thread and of particular note to bus drivers:
On A320s, (at least ours!), for the forward galley waste bin to be extracted for cleaning, the forward pantry door has to opened to be able to remove the bin during turnaround.
Last week, during a turnaround in Catania, an approaching thunderstorm provided a very stiff and gusty wind right through the open passenger entry door. At the same time, the cleaner asked for the pantry door to be opened for him to get on with the job.
I opened the door, and as the stiff wind was a 'tailwind', the door became like a sail and opened away with a jolt, nearly pulling me right out with it. I was quick to hold on with my free hand, which saved the day really.
It had never occured to me before, neither physically nor mentally, but it sure will from now on before I do any door opening!!
On A320s, (at least ours!), for the forward galley waste bin to be extracted for cleaning, the forward pantry door has to opened to be able to remove the bin during turnaround.
Last week, during a turnaround in Catania, an approaching thunderstorm provided a very stiff and gusty wind right through the open passenger entry door. At the same time, the cleaner asked for the pantry door to be opened for him to get on with the job.
I opened the door, and as the stiff wind was a 'tailwind', the door became like a sail and opened away with a jolt, nearly pulling me right out with it. I was quick to hold on with my free hand, which saved the day really.
It had never occured to me before, neither physically nor mentally, but it sure will from now on before I do any door opening!!
Helicopter Pilots Get It Up Quicker
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Get Well Soon...
A couple of points re medical cover.
1. AFS are required to attend medical calls as well as ambulances, subject to local agreements - eg LGW.
2. NHS Ambulances are not attached to hospitals - ambulance trusts operate independantly to local hospitals.
3. LGW has a paramedic on duty 0600 to 0000 hrs every day - soley dedicated to the airport. When (s)he is commited to another incident the nearest ambulance will be tasked but AFS will attend immediately. BAA contribute to the costs of this cover.
4. I understand LHR has ambulance cover on site but they are not dedicated to the airport.
5. AFS are well trained in medical incidents and are well able to cope until the arrival of an ambulance.
Ask yourselves how long you would have waited for an ambulance if you were at home? At least as long and you wouldn't have had the benifit of AFS attending.
The NHS is grossly overstretched partially due to the cuts over the last few years and partly due to the absolute CRAP calls we have to attend....
A couple of points re medical cover.
1. AFS are required to attend medical calls as well as ambulances, subject to local agreements - eg LGW.
2. NHS Ambulances are not attached to hospitals - ambulance trusts operate independantly to local hospitals.
3. LGW has a paramedic on duty 0600 to 0000 hrs every day - soley dedicated to the airport. When (s)he is commited to another incident the nearest ambulance will be tasked but AFS will attend immediately. BAA contribute to the costs of this cover.
4. I understand LHR has ambulance cover on site but they are not dedicated to the airport.
5. AFS are well trained in medical incidents and are well able to cope until the arrival of an ambulance.
Ask yourselves how long you would have waited for an ambulance if you were at home? At least as long and you wouldn't have had the benifit of AFS attending.
The NHS is grossly overstretched partially due to the cuts over the last few years and partly due to the absolute CRAP calls we have to attend....
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regards the medical cover at edi or any other airport for that matter has always baffled me.
Why is it for a sporting event such as a football match they must have medical cover at the event in case of an emergency yet an airport where literally as unfortunately has been proven anything can happen at any hour of the day.
Have seen several incidents at edi in recent years including someone dying I believe after a heart attack.
Not saying they would have survived but they would have stood a better chance with a paid professional taking care of them than someone who has a green cross badge on their jacket.
High concentration of people,stressed out and anxious =
high chance of medical incidents????
Why is it for a sporting event such as a football match they must have medical cover at the event in case of an emergency yet an airport where literally as unfortunately has been proven anything can happen at any hour of the day.
Have seen several incidents at edi in recent years including someone dying I believe after a heart attack.
Not saying they would have survived but they would have stood a better chance with a paid professional taking care of them than someone who has a green cross badge on their jacket.
High concentration of people,stressed out and anxious =
high chance of medical incidents????
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Would also like to wish Ken a speedy and full recovery.
Also, just a reminder that if any similar incident occurs on the ground where assistance is needed, if you can access the r/t quickly and speak to ATC they will most likely have direct lines to at least the police and the airport fire service, they have in all the towers I've worked.
Could be one of the fastest ways of alerting the emergency services to the incident.
WF.
Also, just a reminder that if any similar incident occurs on the ground where assistance is needed, if you can access the r/t quickly and speak to ATC they will most likely have direct lines to at least the police and the airport fire service, they have in all the towers I've worked.
Could be one of the fastest ways of alerting the emergency services to the incident.
WF.
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No medical cover probably since it is significantly less profitable......!!!!!!!!!! than shops!!!!!!!! Maybe there should be some legislation that public places whether they be airports or shopping malls have medical cover if there will be more than a certain number of people on site at any one time. Not sure what that number would be though. Speedy recovery to the Captain involved
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Well, there is precious little camaraderie left in this industry, but perhaps this is a time we can all show some. Is there an address we can send get well wishes to this unfortunate gent? A couple hundred cards/letters from around the world may make him feel better.
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Medical cover for EDI (response to Groundhugger)
There is absolutely no way that cover could be provided for the likes of EDI - the likes of Edinburgh Waverley train station has probably twice as many people transit through it daily, and there is more risk there given the number of old rickety stairs, traffic through the station, etc.
For events like football matches the cover is voluntary, the folks from St. Johns ambulance, the red cross, whoever. All unpaid, all doing it for everyones good. For there to be one on duty 24/7 cover for any area, with an appropriately qualified paramedic you would need approx. 4.2FTE's to cover this, to allow for leave, sickness, study, etc. - multiply this by the £25K or so they would need to be paid (plus the unsocial hours pay), and the emplyers contributions for NI, etc and you'd be getting close to £200K per annum for one person. Then what do you do when bloke A has an MI and Mrs. B falls down the escalator - you can't be in two places at once.
I do agree though that a paramedic ambulance should be based in or around the environs of major terminals, this is a better calculated risk, given the number of RTA's that they would be likely to deal with in the proximity.
Shore Guy - perhaps the cards could be sent via easyJet c/o Edinburgh Airport.
(edited for cr@p grammar!)
For events like football matches the cover is voluntary, the folks from St. Johns ambulance, the red cross, whoever. All unpaid, all doing it for everyones good. For there to be one on duty 24/7 cover for any area, with an appropriately qualified paramedic you would need approx. 4.2FTE's to cover this, to allow for leave, sickness, study, etc. - multiply this by the £25K or so they would need to be paid (plus the unsocial hours pay), and the emplyers contributions for NI, etc and you'd be getting close to £200K per annum for one person. Then what do you do when bloke A has an MI and Mrs. B falls down the escalator - you can't be in two places at once.
I do agree though that a paramedic ambulance should be based in or around the environs of major terminals, this is a better calculated risk, given the number of RTA's that they would be likely to deal with in the proximity.
Shore Guy - perhaps the cards could be sent via easyJet c/o Edinburgh Airport.
(edited for cr@p grammar!)
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Best wishes and a speedy recovery to the gentlemen involved.
For those unaware on the fwd doors on the 737 - to empty the bins at dr 1R you need to have the door open at least half way. After the incident if the lady falling out at EOG, BA have a strict policy not allowing crew to open any door apart from 1L without something being on the other side e.g catering or steps. If nothing is there then we don't touch it and it is left to the cleaners or to ground staff trained to do it. May sound a bit petty but no accidents since, and once ground staff realise the A/C is going nowhere until the bins are emptied people soon start moving.
As for 1R we crack the forward door open enough to check there are no staff outside in the way before deploying the stairs then lower them, but at no time should the door be open more than 10% open which is enough to see outside but not enough for anyone to fall out or the wind to catch it.
I would hope other airlines have the same policies for their doors as this incident highlights the need for these proceedures.
For those unaware on the fwd doors on the 737 - to empty the bins at dr 1R you need to have the door open at least half way. After the incident if the lady falling out at EOG, BA have a strict policy not allowing crew to open any door apart from 1L without something being on the other side e.g catering or steps. If nothing is there then we don't touch it and it is left to the cleaners or to ground staff trained to do it. May sound a bit petty but no accidents since, and once ground staff realise the A/C is going nowhere until the bins are emptied people soon start moving.
As for 1R we crack the forward door open enough to check there are no staff outside in the way before deploying the stairs then lower them, but at no time should the door be open more than 10% open which is enough to see outside but not enough for anyone to fall out or the wind to catch it.
I would hope other airlines have the same policies for their doors as this incident highlights the need for these proceedures.
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Shadowpurser, it sounds like BA have a sound safety mangement policy from which their staff and passengers enjoy the obvious benefits. I certainly haven't heard of this SOP on opening the 1R door in other airlines. Obviously the policy might have prevented the easyJet accident.
We can all learn from this sort of thing.
We can all learn from this sort of thing.
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I've seen it happen at STN, where one of the crew fell out of the main L1 door on a 737. She broke her pelvis, and sustained a spinal injury.
Ambulances are also held up at airports trying to get airside, as the ambulance and crew need to be cleared to go airside, and need an escort. The escort will be the airport police.
Ambulances are also held up at airports trying to get airside, as the ambulance and crew need to be cleared to go airside, and need an escort. The escort will be the airport police.
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Please guys, slow down.
Firstly, there are some nice thoughts around here but check before you act.
On Saturday/Sunday Ken was not in the Edi Royal Infirmary but the Edi Western General (or something similar).
Please check and don't bombard the wrong hospital with cards and faxes.
Secondly, why all the talk about SOPs regarding the opening of door 1R? As I am told, he was closing door 1L from the outside on the airstairs.
If someone wants to start a debate about the SOPs, or lack of them, re opening doors can they please start another thread because such things posted here create the impression that a rule was broken causing this terrible mishap.
There is, of course, no evidence or suggestion whatsoever that this was anything other than a horrible accident.
Firstly, there are some nice thoughts around here but check before you act.
On Saturday/Sunday Ken was not in the Edi Royal Infirmary but the Edi Western General (or something similar).
Please check and don't bombard the wrong hospital with cards and faxes.
Secondly, why all the talk about SOPs regarding the opening of door 1R? As I am told, he was closing door 1L from the outside on the airstairs.
If someone wants to start a debate about the SOPs, or lack of them, re opening doors can they please start another thread because such things posted here create the impression that a rule was broken causing this terrible mishap.
There is, of course, no evidence or suggestion whatsoever that this was anything other than a horrible accident.